1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates generally to X-ray machines and to X-ray machines used in the field of medical imaging. The field of invention relates more particularly to X-ray machines that are mounted on a mobile device.
2. Description of Related Art
X-ray machines conventionally comprise an X-ray tube and an X-ray detector placed opposite the X-ray tube in the direction of emission of the X-rays. The tube and the detector are usually placed on opposite ends of an arm.
Such machines are used for angiographic examinations with a diagnostic or interventional aim. During these examinations, it is necessary to take X-ray radiographs of an area of interest in the body of a patient. For this purpose, after the patient has been laid out on an examination table, the X-ray tube and the detector are brought to face the area to be radiographed.
There are several types of X-ray machines for producing radiographs. First, X-ray machines that are fixed to the ground and in which the arm supporting the X-ray tube and the detector comprise several degrees of freedom making it possible to position the X-ray beam facing the area of interest are known. This type of machine has a major drawback when radiography is necessary only at the beginning and the end of the intervention. In between, access to the patient should take precedence. However, the machine cannot be removed from the examination table when it is not being used. In particular, transferring the patient onto the examination table is hampered by the presence of this bulky system.
There are also X-ray machines called “surgical mobile” units that can be moved manually. In this case, they are mounted on a carriage that contains a certain number of batteries used to supply the X-ray tube with power. This type of machine is not suitable for angiographic examinations because the power available to the X-ray tube is no longer sufficient to obtain adequate image quality and, in particular, contrast. Moreover, this type of mobile X-ray machine does not allow complex angulations because the diameter of the arm supporting the tube and the detector is not large enough. Similarly, these mobile X-ray machines do not achieve sufficient rotation speeds to allow high quality, three-dimensional image reconstructions. Finally, even though the weight of such an X-ray machine is half as much as that of an X-ray machine designed for angiography, it remains very difficult to move because of its relatively large dimensions and weight, which can be up to about 300 kg (about 660 lbs).
In addition, X-ray machines for angiography are known that are suspended from the ceiling and can be moved on guide rails, via a mobile carriage, for example with the aid of an electric motor. This type of machine also has several drawbacks. First, many systems are already attached to the ceiling around the examination table, thus the space around the patient is already cluttered which makes it difficult to install guide rails. Secondly, mounting an X-ray machine on the ceiling considerably increases the risk of opportunistic contamination of the patient. Specifically, because of the difficulty of cleaning the rails, particles are likely to fall and contaminate the patient when the machine is sliding on the rails. Moreover, in certain operating rooms, a sterile laminar flow is generated above the patient. In this case, the flow is likely to blow particles present on the rail which can then enter the laminar flow and reach the patient.
To alleviate these various drawbacks, it has been proposed to mount the X-ray machine on a mobile device mounted on wheels driven by drive motors controlled automatically under the control of a navigation system. It has been found that such a system is particularly effective for moving the X-ray machine in an operating or examination room, notably to position the X-ray tube and the detector around the area of interest and to move it away when it is no longer in use, in order to free up the space around the examination table.
However, this X-ray machine, which is capable of being moved automatically, either in a stand-alone mode, or under the control of a control console that can be operated by an operator, in particular during its return to the out-of-the-way waiting position, is likely to come into contact with elements present on the floor of the operating room, such as control pedals, or to bump into the feet of persons present in the operating room, which, because of the weight of the machine, which may be up to several hundreds of kilos, is likely either to damage the equipment of the operating room, or to cause injuries to the members of medical staff.
In the light of the foregoing, the object of the embodiments of the present invention is to propose an X-ray machine which remedies this drawback and which removes all risk of an accident likely to be caused by its automatic movement in the operating room.